Honeylet visits Duterte in prison

FORMER president Rodrigo Duterte's common-law wife, Honeylet Avanceña, and daughter, Veronica Duterte, visited him Friday at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, where he is detained awaiting trial for crimes against humanity in connection to his bloody war on drugs. Their visit, lasting about three hours, coincided with his 80th birthday. Vice President Sara Duterte, who has been assisting with her father's legal team, announced the visit. The former president's common-law wife and daughter were not immediately allowed to see him in his detention cell at Scheveningen Prison. The vice president told reporters that her mom, Elizabeth Zimmerman, Duterte's ex-wife, would join her in The Hague for the former president's birthday. The vice president said her mom had decided to go to The Hague last Wednesday. She is unsure whether she will be allowed to see her ex-husband, however, because Zimmerman is no longer recognized as next of kin because her marriage to the former president has been annulled. The next-of-kin privileges now belong to Duterte's children from his marriage to Zimmerman — Sara, along with her brothers, Paolo, the representative of Davao City's 1st District, and Sebastian, the mayor of Davao City. Additionally, their half-sibling, Veronica, Duterte's daughter with his common-law partner Avanceña, is included in this group. After spending time with Duterte, Honeylet and Veronica interacted with supporters outside the facility, taking selfies and chatting. Former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea joined them as they departed in a black van. In honor of his birthday, Duterte supporters organized a picnic in Europe, which didn't require permission from local authorities, unlike protests. The vice president delivered a short speech expressing gratitude to supporters and shared a message from her father, urging them to refrain from commenting during the ICC proceedings. Sen. Robin Padilla and former spokesman Harry Roque were also present. In her speech to the Filipino community who gathered near Scheveningen Prison at The Hague for his birthday, the vice president thanked their supporters from across the globe who have shown their support to the former leader, especially those who are praying for him to return to Davao City to serve as their mayor. She also urged them to pray for her father to give him the strength to do domestic work inside his detention center, such as washing clothes, cooking and even cleaning his own room. She also reiterated her fear that her father could be assassinated once he returns to the country, as she believes her father's political enemies have the capacity to kill him at the tarmac.